Police Officer Involved Domestic Violence.
Lighting a candle of remembrance for those who've lost their lives to domestic violence behind the blue wall, for strength and wisdom to those still there, and a non-ending prayer for those who thought they had escaped but can't stop being afraid.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

[FL] The 1 year old that REINSTATED Avon Park Police Officer James Parker was babysitting - "Baby Hope" Kaedyn Short - has died

..."Baby Hope has lost her life... An innocent little baby girl who could not even defend herself. Why, why has this happened? What went wrong?"...

Previous post:[FL] Officer Parker - reinstated after domestic violence - now accused of putting girlfriend's toddler in critical condition- ...Parker was also arrested in June 26, 2004 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his former wife. He entered into a diversion program and the States Attorney's Office eventually deferred prosecution. Parker, then 27, was reinstated in late July 2004 after completing a two-day suspension without pay... When Parker attended his arraignment on July 19, 2004, his ex wife withdrew charges... A deferred prosecution agreement was signed in lieu of Parker attending an anger management program for 12 weeks. All criminal charges were dismissed after he successfully completed the class...

What will it take before officer-involved domestic violence is taken seriously? It is NOT a private matter or moment's mistake. Officer Parker's domestic violence past was waved away. He even appears to have been allowed to get out of attending the anger management class. If his charges had been handled as the crimes they were instead of as character infractions, would little Kaedyn Short be alive today? Most young mothers would trust their police officer boyfriend to watch the baby - but I believe most would not let an EX-officer, fired for domestic violence, watch their child.

Largely, systems in place to determine police discipline and fitness, along with the court system, are too often aligned to give domestic abusing law enforcement officers a break. Do those same systems spend as much time, money, power, and energy on keeping the officer's NEXT victims safe from him or her?

Donations may be sent to Children's Services Foundation at P.O. Box 7125, Sebring, FL 33872-0103. At the bottom of the check, write "for Baby K fund." All donations in Children's Services' name are tax deductible

CHILD ALLEGEDLY INJURED BY AP COP DIESKaedyn Short died this morningHighlands TodayBrad DickersonPublished: May 27, 2009[Excerpts] A 22-month-old girl who authorities say was severely injured by Avon Park police officer James Parker died from her injuries today. Kaedyn Short passed away at 9:38 a.m. at a hospice home where she was being cared for in her final days, according to a Highlands County Sheriff's Office press release. Short was the daughter of Parker's former live-in girlfriend and had been on life support for some time after being hospitalized for multiple bruises and an apparent skull fracture March 29. On May 4, attorney Richard Pipkin, speaking on behalf of Short's mother, had told a court room gathered for Parker's bond hearing that the child was being taken off life support. If she did live, doctors said she would be a vegetative state, the attorney had added. On March 29, deputies with the sheriff's office were called to Highlands Regional Medical Center after Short, then 20 months old, was being brought into the emergency room with multiple bruises on her body and an apparent skull fracture. Her mother was at work at the time of the incident and Parker was reportedly watching the child... At Parker's May bond hearing, sheriff's office Det. Tyrone Tyson said there was evidence of older injuries on the child, including a two-month-old fractured right collarbone and a broken elbow, which occurred about a week prior to March 29. Parker was charged with aggravated child abuse, domestic violence related, and remains in the Highlands County Jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond... [Full article here]

If the domestic violence past of officers is wiped from the record for the sake of his or her career - how can someone like the mother of Kaedyn see what was coming her way? How would she know he finagled out of his anger classes or that the classes had even been recommended for him - when he is ALL DRESSED UP WITH A BADGE AND A GUN BLENDING IN WITH ALL THE DECENT COPS WHO GET UP EVERYDAY AND DON'T COMMIT CRIMES, BUT ARE COMMITTED TO STOPPING CRIMES? How does the next victim

know?

It's a very cruel and costly deception. Especially at moments like this.

Where's Kaedyn? A fruit of diversion and second chances for an officer's career?

This is NOT one of those hindsight is 20/20 situations. I am the storykeeper. This is almost predictable - that someone else will be hurt by the abuser who believes that they can offend and get out of it.

Too often their anger grows arrogant.

BABY IN PARKER CASE HAS DIEDnewssun.comBy ED BALDRIDGE ed.baldridge@newssun.comTrey ChristyWednesday, May 27, 2009[Excerpts] Avon Park police officer James Parker may face more serious charges after the 22-month-old infant he allegedly abused died Wednesday morning, several weeks after being taken off life support... “We will look at the facts and see what we believe is appropriate,” Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin said Thursday when asked about the possibility of upgrading the charges to murder. “It depends on what facts develop from law enforcement and the medical examiner. We will take the appropriate action when we have that information.” According to Houchin, an autopsy was being performed by the District 10 Medical Examiners Office Thursday. The Department of Children and Families is also included in the investigation... [Full article here]

It is TRAGICALLY REDUNDANT now on this blog to post the injuries and deaths committed by officers given favor instead of punishment, breaks instead being fired. Let these officers who can't control themselves find a job that does not feed into their already-displayed immaturity. When you keep them, the department and courts contribute to not only creating a monster of sorts - but ruining even the officer's life. Look at Officer Parker now. Who would want to be in his place? He NEEDED intervention - whether he liked it or NOT. Was letting him not be charged, clear his record, and be reinstated REALLY a break for him? Looks like it broke him and many others instead.

How many lives are imploding with little Kaedyn's death?

This is so sad.

COMMUNITY MOURNS FOR CHILD WHO DIED FROM ABUSEHighlands TodayBrad Dickerson bdickerson@highlandstoday.comPublished: May 28, 2009[Excerpts] Dana Gonzalez has been "just an emotional wreck" since learning Thursday morning that 22-month-old Kaedyn Short had died. The Avon Park massage therapist said she and a lot of her clients, who are nurses, have been keeping the young child in their prayers after news of her injuries first hit in late March. That spiritual support is something she hopes will continue now more than ever. "We need to be in prayer for the family," Gonzalez said, adding that she has been following the story, but does not know Short or her mother. The young child died almost two months after authorities say she was severely injured by Avon Park police officer James Parker... Gonzalez, who is a member of the Avon Park League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), plans to attend a candle light prayer vigil Monday night in honor of Short, also known as "Baby Hope"... In an emotional e-mail, Avon Park LULAC president Patricia Austin said, "our hearts hurt," after the news of Short's passing was announced. "Baby Hope has lost her life," Austin said in the e-mail. "An innocent little baby girl who could not even defend herself. Why, why has this happened? What went wrong?" In addition to the candlelight vigil, Monday's LULAC meeting will focus on the issue of recognizing police brutality and abuse... Donations may be sent to Children's Services Foundation at P.O. Box 7125, Sebring, FL 33872-0103. At the bottom of the check, write "for Baby K fund." All donations in Children's Services' name are tax deductible... [Full article here][police officer involved domestic violence fatality fatalities child children murder law enforcement florida]

8 comments:

It is very heart wrenching to know this kind of thing can happen here or anywhere in the world.What about the surviving family members? The parents, grandparents and siblings must need or love and support now more than ever. My prayers go out to the family and my prayer for God to hold and take care of the baby now that she is in our Lord's arms. She is no longer suffering. It is the ones left behind that have to deal with this daily. Mr. Parker needed help indeed. He still does...pray for him too!